MASON It's been a rocky road for the owners of Ice 'N EZ, which opened last year in Mason's historic downtown district.

But not because of its Jersey-style Italian ices.

Instead, the family-owned business has become a target of a rash of vandalism, owner Debbie Harbatkin said.

The latest incident involved the theft of an eight-foot umbrella that anchored the shop's push-cart located outside the business at 115 Reading Road.

The umbrella-napper struck sometime April 29 while the business was open, said Harbatkin.

"The police officer said, 'How did they walk or drive away without somebody seeing them?' None of us saw it go by," she said.

Several weeks ago, Harbatkin found the business' $300 umbrella dumped in a nearby garbage bin covered in paint and had to have it power-washed. And she's had ongoing problems with the $100 potted palm trees flanking the business door being uprooted and destroyed, she said.

Last year, vandals broke in, leaving behind a mess of wrappers and trash.

"They jimmied open the door and had a little party. There was no money to steal. They just ate the pop and candy and didn't do any damage," she said.

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Ice 'N EZ owner Debbie Harbatkin says she wants to remain in downtown Mason despite a rash of vandalism in the company's first year of operation.(Photo: The Enquirer/Rachel Richardson)

Harbatkin and her husband, Ira, opened the shop with their teenage son, Cory, last year after moving to Mason in 2011. The couple, recent transplants from New Jersey, grew up eating the sorbet-like frozen dessert and wanted to bring the tradition to the Cincinnati area.

Harbatkin says police suspect juveniles who live nearby might be responsible for the vandalism. Other businesses in the plaza haven't reported similar damage.

"The police think it's because we're the type of business that's fun and high school kids like to hang out here," she said.

For now, Harbatkin is beefing up the shop's security to prevent further damage.

"We'd love to make it work here because we love downtown Mason, but down the road, if things don't change, we would have to consider finding a new location," she said. "You can't continue to do business when you're spending money to repair things done to the store."

Anyone with information is asked to call Mason Police at 513-229-8560.